Protector
by Academy At 7
Summary: The choice was made for him once again, with no mind of his thoughts. He had thought of leaving it all behind, but he was the "Protector". There was no way to leave it behind, no matter if he had escaped through the time, no matter if he changed in more ways than one, no matter if he had vowed to remain hidden, they still found him. They still found the Protector. Gender swap!


A disclaimer: I own nothing, just the plot!

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Sun shined, and rays of light marked their presence on the earth. The whole world seemed to be asleep even the birds. The early dawn found two twelve year olds running through the streets with a very high speed. Both of them if looked seemed like a blur to the eyes, one black, and the other blue.

After a few more minutes of running the pair of boys slowed down to a rest, near a temple which was located on a hill. Both of them then started exercising their limbs to calm down their body. After a full two minutes the pair entered the temple, and then started moving towards the back of it. There stood in the back a worn tennis court made precisely in the muddy field. Both of the boys stood on the opposite sides of the court ready with their racquets.

The boy with long waist length dark hair with an unusual tint of blue in them shouted while holding his black coloured racquet in the air, "One game set match"

On the other side, the boy with the shoulder length dark hair with a green tint in them held up his blue coloured racquet indicating the agreement and said, "Self judge"

The long haired boy nodded his agreement by waving his racquet. It was as if an agreement was made between them from before, that who was going to serve first. The long haired boy raised his racquet and started his serve. Both of them at first started bouncing the ball between them lightly with no real intent to play the real game as of yet.

After a while body sweaty from all the exercises, they both looked at each other and said at the same time, "Warmed up?"

Identical smirks graced their faces, and soon both were immersed in a real game bouncing the ball between them at high speeds neither winning nor losing. If one won a game, the other won the next and so it was after a two and a half hours both were tied to 2 matches each with 6-5 games in all the four matches so far with leading boy at 6 and the other at 5 for a match.

Both of the boys looked at each other with tired smirks getting ready for another game when a man in blue monk robes entered the field and looked at both of them with an exasperated expression as if he had been in this situation millions of times. The boys looked towards the man with same questioning looks.

The male heaved a large sigh and said, "Get down at the house both of you; it is time for your school."

The long haired boy looked at the monk robed and said, "Buuuut father only one more game and I can beat Ryo-nee San"

The male looked at the boy and said, "No, Kagome your mother will not leave me, if you both got late to the school."

"Hey who said you are going to beat me, Kagome?"

"I said so!"

"Oh really, then let's see it Ka-go-me!"

Kagome hearing his name like that bristled and got ready in the stance while bouncing the tennis ball in his hand ready to serve.

The father of both the boys looked between them, sighing when he saw them ready to battle it out. He looked towards the other boy and said, "Ryoma stop provoking your brother, and Kagome stop it! Both of you are going down and going to get ready for the school"

Hearing the command in the voice of their father, the boys looked towards each other, promising to solve it out after the school. The boys then moved off the court disappointed that they did not get to finish off their game, but accepting the reason behind it. Both of them then put away their racquets and tennis balls in the shack beside the field having spare ones at home. Then after a few minutes of stretching, both of them started running downhill, then through the streets and then finally after a two mile run reached their house.

Both the boys shouted, "Tadaima" at once and run straight towards their rooms, not even waiting for a reply but did hear a faint, "Okaeri". After freshening up, bathing and getting ready in their new school uniforms as well as getting ready their school and tennis bag, both the boys sprinted down towards the dining hall.

Rinko looked towards both of her sons running up the stairs towards the room, and then towards the father of them, Nanjiro. Looking at Nanjiro as he roamed his eyes over the newspaper trying to find interesting news, she reminisced. Back when she had married Nanjiro he was just so lazy and careless thinking only about tennis and nothing else. And now along with tennis both the boys meant the world to him, especially Kagome. After all it was Kagome who had changed them all, knit them all together and made them the family they were supposed to be.

She still remembered the day when the little Kagome had entered into their lives. It was the night after Ryoma's first birthday. At the time of midnight, she and her husband, well mainly her as Nanjiro was just lazing off on the bed, were trying to calm down a crying Ryoma, who had started crying so suddenly that both of them were startled. There was a loud boom outside the house startling all three of them, so much that she had nearly dropped Ryoma, and Nanjiro fell off the bed.

With Scared eyes she had looked towards her husband beckoning him to check out. But it was not the end at all, there was a light tapping on the door heard clearly in the eerie silence which seemed to surround the house. Afraid by the resounding sound, she had clutched Ryoma in her arms while urging Nanjiro to look outside. Nanjiro had asked for her to come as well, scared by the tapping going on which seemed to show no end. Sighing at her husband's request but going along as well.

Both of them had descended the stairs slowly, quietly. When even after full of fifteen minutes the tapping continued, both of them were freaked out of their senses, but the curiosity to know, to check it out still urged them on. Finally standing behind the main door, both of them had looked at each other while Ryoma as if sensing something had quiet down not even uttering a sound.

With the decision made between them though quiet whispers, both of them, together, had opened the door quietly. And to their surprise a soft blue had blinded them. Backing up from the light, scared, she had hid behind her husband while beckoning him to see what the light was. She had looked on as her husband too scared shut the door, and then with confusion shining in his eyes looked at me.

Suddenly there was a cry, of an infant to be precise. She had looked towards Ryoma to see him quietly looking towards the closed main door, surprised she looked towards her husband to see him thoughtfully looking at the door as well. She saw as determination crossed his eyes, and then without any warning he opened the door, stepped into the blinding light and then shut the door behind him. Those were the most overwhelming moments she had ever felt, stupefied into silence she was. She was frozen to the spot she had stood feeling anxiety, fear and curiosity all at once.

All through those moments she had felt the fear which blinded all her senses and before she could comprehend, she was crying and screaming for her husband while clutching Ryoma in her hands as if her life had depended on him.

After what felt like an eternity the door opened and there stood her husband with a softly glowing babe in his arms who seemed to be looking everywhere as if lost into the world. Eyes wide with surprise she had looked at the babe who as if sensing her stare looked at her, her brown eyes connecting with his blue ones which just seemed to be glowing highlighting the light around him. Seeing the babe she looked at her husband who with a confused smile looked at her.

That was the day little 6 months old Kagome had entered their home, tying them all together and that was the day when she learned of the supernatural from her husband as well.

For 6 months they had waited for any person to come and get Kagome but no one appeared. Kagome had become a family no one was able to part with for any amount of time. Ryoma and Ryoga, who was at a friend's house on that night, had taken an instant liking to the boy not even minding his supernatural powers. Her husband who was a lazy ass had showed off a careless attitude towards the boy at first but when the boy's habit of getting into trouble with his powers and things, he had taken on the role of a father. She herself though wary of the boy at first, had also taken a liking of the boy as time passed.

Within those six months Kagome had become a family to them. So when the police suggested for the boy to be given to an orphanage or a foster home, all three of them had shouted a, "No!" while Ryoma had clutched onto Kagome crying as if understanding the situation.

So the day the boy had appeared on their doorstep with a necklace in his hands which had clearly imprinted letters of his name, Kagome, that day he had legally become a part of their family. That day Kagome had become Kagome Echizen.

It was only when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder did she come out of her memories. Following the hand she came face to face with the softly smiling face of her husband, who smiled even wider as if he knew what she was thinking. Leaning up she kissed him on the lips which he gladly returned, the three words ringing between them unsaid.

0o0

So, what do you think?


End file.
